English final research paper - The immigration policy policy of Alberta Canada - Essay Example

The history of immigration in Canada encompasses well over 100 years of efforts. In the paper titled 100 years of immigration in Canada authors Boyd and Vickers state, “By 1911, immigrants represented 41% of people living in Manitoba, 50% in Saskatchewan, and 57% of those in Alberta and British Columbia…The 1911 Census recorded 158 immigrant males for every 100 females, compared with 103 Canadian-born males for 100 females.” (Boyd, Vickers 3) This disparity led to a new approach in immigration, one that attempted to balance the need for labour with the desire to attempt to balance the population better.

It was not until 1978 that a new Immigration Act came into effect. This Act specifically promoted humanitarian approaches as opposed to purely numbers based immigration. Authors Boyd and Vickers stated, “This Act upheld the principles of admissions laid out in the regulation of the 1960’s: family reunification and economic contributions…The Act also required the Minister responsible for the immigration portfolio to set annual immigration targets in consultation with the provinces.” (Boyd, Vickers 9) Throughout the long history of immigration in Canada there has been a desire for fair play resulting in a humanitarian based approach even before the recent Act was passed.

Alberta has always attempted to promote a progressive outlook when approaching immigration and immigration policy. The utilization of the dispersion strategy as it was termed allowed the government to better adjust to the immigrants being invited in. By placing immigrants in locations that had need of their specific skills the government is able to balance human rights with basic need. One interesting approach is with regards to temporary workers. Temporary workers are not eligible for the same programs and services provided to other classes of immigrants.

In the paper titled Nation building through cities: A new deal for immigrant settlement in Canada, author Elizabeth McIsaac writes, “Temporary workers are not eligible for the programs and services provided to other classes of immigrants. They do not have access to educational opportunities, language and skills upgrading, student loans or domestic student fee schedules.” (McIsaac 3) While this may seem to be harsh it does promote the permanence of immigration over temporary worker status which further supports economic security.

This allows the government to reap the benefit of additional necessary labour resources as well as reducing expenditures based in these various expenses. There is however, the coercive nature of this approach in that it does not allow the freedom to emigrate to the location of the individual’s choice. However, this is explained as being better for the whole and benefiting the individual as well. The coercive nature of this Act does cause a hesitation when looking to promote it. However, the answer here is that immigrants are asking to become a part of Canadian and Albertan society, and as to benefit that society and themselves individually this is the best approach to dispersing the immigrants.

Special considerations are made regarding family and a special effort is made to keep family together. The need to continue facilitation of immigrant mobility within the nation so as to promote a stronger internal economy as well as benefiting the in